The Prince's Keeper
by Lyziebell
Summary: Young Prince Vegeta is taken, along with many other saiyajin children, to Lord Freeza.  Vegeta's only friend, Eri, is charged as the Prince's protector.  A take on what happened on Freeza's ship that transformed the Prince. AUish. R&R Please!   .  v


Disclaimer: Dragonball Z and it's characters do not belong to me! They are the work or Toriyama-Sensei. Do not sue this poor college student. :)

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Chapter One: Twilight

The young saiyajin kneeled on the right of his Prince as the rest of those around their age followed their leads. Their new master walked into the room searching them over, making judgements about them. The Prince kept his head low, but his tail whipped in defiance. Their new master laughed,

"Vegeta, are you unhappy?"

The boy heard Vegeta snap his teeth together in an effort to keep himself from saying anything. The white and pink tailed freak walked up to the Prince and lifted his chin with his foot. Eri couldn't keep his fingers from curling into tight fists, his small gloved hands, he knew, would be no match for this monster, but he couldn't prevent his body from trembling in fury. Their new master was too focused on Vegeta to notice the Prince's neighbor's struggle for control. The monstrosity let Vegeta's face droop back toward the floor and cackled away from them.

"Dadoria, go through these monkeys and do only leave me the strongest ones," The white creature said waving his arm as if the saiyajin children weren't even there. The large pink blob-like brute dipped it's head,

"Yes, Master Frieza," he offered as their leader left the room. The door clinging shut behind him. Dodoria turned back toward the saiyajins a mixture of curiosity and hatred in his eyes. Vegeta stood, slowly, keeping his face to the ground. Eri followed his Prince's example and the rest of the saiyajin kids did the same. The boredom Dodoria's suffered was evident as he called,"Boys to the right, girls to the left."

A few of the children trembled and some of the younger ones began to cry. Vegeta scoffed at them under his breath as he took a step to the right. A few of the boys stepped over mimicking Vegeta. Eri looked nervously from Vegeta to the children still standing frozen in fear and confusion. He faced his fellow saiyajins and smiled encouragingly. He knew that his Prince would be angry at him for helping the lower classes, but he was overwhelmed by their hopelessness. Eri showed as much confidence as he could feign and the other children seemed to feed off of it,

"It's going to be alright. Just do as they say, it'll be better for all of you. Don't..."

"Eri," Vegeta cut him off. Eri didn't shift his gaze, "that's enough."

"Yes, my Prince." Eri stepped behind Vegeta in line, yet many of the others divided into the respective sides of the room also. Dodoria watched with a hint of interest. Then he shrugged and began to sift through the young saiyajins roughly tossing them into one group or another. One group was a discard pile, the other was the group that Dodoria knew Frieza would find suitable. Dodoria stopped when he got to Vegeta. He was going to the group of acceptable monkeys of course, but when Dodoria reached his hand out to grab the young Prince Eri leapt between them his mouth in a snarl. Dodoria flinched back in surprise, never had a saiyajin, let alone a saiyajin child, prepare itself to defend against him. Eri shifted fully in front of Vegeta, his eyes burning with fire, his whole miniature frame about to explode from ire, the hair on his tail erect, his whole body ready to defend his Prince. Dodoria quickly recomposed himself and stared at the boy.

"Do you have a death wish, Bastard?"

Eri hissed, "You'll not lay a hand on Prince Vegeta."

Dodoria weighed his options quickly. Many of the other children, he noticed, seemed near mutiny against him thanks to this no good punk. It would probably best to let it slide to keep himself from trying to put down an revolt. He dropped his fists that he didn't even realize he had raised and barked, "Whatever, both of you get into that group." and he shoved his pudgy hand toward the keep group. Vegeta whipped his cape and walked in the direction of the frightened children that scattered as he neared them. Eri paused for a moment, forcing himself calm then followed his comrade keeping suspicious eyes constantly on Dodoria. Vegeta maneuvered himself to the wall and leaned against it, he arms crossed and his eyes closed, as if there was nothing to concern himself with here. Eri sat near his feet scanning the room for escapes, eyeing Dodoria who seemed to be calling someone on a screen, and feeling the weight of many eyes on him.

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So... This is one of those stories that i am writing for my own enjoyment, but i would love to know what other people think. I have a tendency to not finish something once i start it, so responces will let me know how much drive i need! ^_^

Please R&R if you have the time, it would be very much appreciated!

3


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